Desk



J. W. HAUSER July 1 1958 DESK Filed March 7, 1956 INVENTOR JON W. HAUSER United States atent i atented July 1, 1958 [ice DESK

Jon W. Hauser, St. Charles, 111., assignor to llawley Products Company, St. Charles, 111., a corporation of Eelaware Application March 7, 1956, Serial No. 570,085

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-255) This invention relates to a desk and is particularly adapted for use as a childs desk.

One object of the invention is to provide a desk in which the exterior surfaces of its several parts are smooth and unbroken. A desk with this feature presents a decorative appearance, has no protruding parts to snag on clothing or cause bodily injury, and is comparatively easy to scrub or clean. Thus, the invention is particularly adapted for use as a childs desk wherein safety and cleanliness are especially important characteristics to be desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a desk so constructed that its several parts are joined at points interior to the desk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a desk which is sturdy, durable, lightweight and inexpensive, and can be constructed from relatively few individual parts such that the desk can be readily assembled by the ordinary purchaser.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a desk in which certain members serve a dual function of forming supporting structure and also acting to divide the interior of the desk into compartmented areas.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein similar reference numerals are employed to designate similar parts in all of the figures, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating a childs desk;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with a portion of the desk top cut away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3, illustrating the interior connection of one leg.

According to the invention, a desk is provided in which an integral, unitary body receptacle (sometimes called a book box) having a closed bottom except for openings adapted to receive legs and an open top is supported by a plurality of legs, each of which has a top portion inserted through one of said openings in the bottom of the body receptacle. A plurality of supporting panels are so constructed and arranged within the body receptacle as to receive the top portion of the legs in connected assembly. A desk top fits over the open top of the body receptacle and is preferably removable to provide access to the interior of the desk. The desk top is advantageously constructed to provide a stationary section securely attached to the panel supports and a movable section hinged to the stationary section.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate a childs desk as a preferred embodiment of the invention, a body receptacle 1 is shown to be an integrally molded, unitary structure having a closed bottom 2, oppositely disposed sides 3, a front end 4 and back end 5 which together present a receptacle having an open top. A continuous rim or protective border 6 is preferably provided around the top edge of the sides and ends to prevent excessive wear of the body receptacle and also to add a decorative trim.

The body receptacle 1 is preferably made by molding a fibrous material and/ or a resin into a strong and durable unitary construction. The art of accreting and molding fibrous or resin-impregnated fibrous materials and molding resinous materials is Well developed and many suitable materials are known to those familiar with the art. Likewise, the methods of molding these materials into a desired shape are also well known in the art. The invention is not limited to any particular material since any suitable substance including wood, metal, and similar furniture materials can be adapted to the practice of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. A fibrous and/or resinous material, for example, molded resin reinforced glass and/or cellulose fibers, is particularly suitable, however, to give a lightweight desk. The continuous rim 6 is preferably formed or shaped from a sheet metal such as stainless steel or other metal which can be plated, if desired, to add to the pleasing appearance of the finished article.

Four conically tapered legs 7 having a circular crosssection extend downwardly and spread outwardly from the body receptacle 1 to provide an elevated support therefor. A top portion 8 of each leg 7 is adapted to fit into a corresponding opening in the bottom 2. The diameter of the top portion 8 of the leg within the body receptacle is smaller than that portion of the leg extending below the body receptacle to provide a supporting ledge 9 overlapping the edge of the opening in the bottom 2.

The top portion of the legs is slotted such that a front and rear leg receive a substantially vertical supporting panel 10 spaced inwardly from and parallel to the sides 3. The legs are firmly connected to the supporting panel by means of screws 11. The upper edge of the panels 10 fall in approximately the same plane which passes through the upper edges of the body receptacle formed by the rim 6. Thus, the panels 10 not only serve as a supporting structure for the desk by internal connection with the legs, but also divide the interior of the desk into compartmented areas including two small side compartinents A and a larger central compartment B. While the ledges 9 of the legs hold the bottom of the body receptacle against the supporting panels, greater stability is added by securing or fastening the panels to the body receptacle by means of flat headed bolts, screws, rivets, or the like 12, inserted through the front and rear ends 4 and 5 of the body receptacle into the vertical edges of the panels 10.

A grooved tray 13 is advantageously located in the forward part of the central compartment B to hold crayons, pencils, chalks, and articles of a similar nature.

A desk top 14 fits over the open top of the body receptacle to provide a smooth writing surface and a cover or lid for the body receptacle 1. The desk top is laterally divided near the back end of the desk into a stationary section 15 and a movable section 16. The stationary section 15 is securely connected to the supporting panels by means of a flange or bar 17 fastened to the underneath surface of the stationary section 15 and extending forwardly along the upper edge of the panel 10 a suificient distance to insert a screw or the like through an opening in the flange and into the panel. Thus, it is possible to securely attach the stationary section without marring the smooth upper surface thereof. The movable section 16 of the desk top is connected to the stationary section 15 along their contiguous edge by suitable hinge means 18 such that the movable section will rotateupwardly from'front torearc The hinge means 18 are preferably recessed below the top surface and inwardly from the contiguous edges of the two sections so that the sections are in closely fitting relatioriship. Two-stop knobs"19 are located on the underneath sur-' face ofthe movable section, to restupontheffront upper edgelorrim '6 of the body receptacle when the movable section is in a closed position. i a I The various, parts of the desk structure are preferably connected together by means of screws to provide a very'idurable 'and rigid, structure. However, it would be possible to provide glue joints between the legs, panels, body receptacle and desk top where excessive Wear and tear, suchas a child s desk would be subjectedto, is not anticipated.

The legs, panels, and -desk top are preferably constructed of wood, although other materials will be readily to receive legs, and an open top; four legs, each of which has a top portion inserted'through one of said openings in the bottom of said body receptaclejtwo substantially rectilinear and vertically arranged divider supporting panels spaced inwardly from the two oppositely disposed sides within said body receptacle to form compartmented areas and each said panel being in proximate alignment with two of said openings in the bottom of said body receptacle; means fastening said top portions of said legs to said divider supporting panels; means fastening divider supporting panels to. said body receptacle;

and a desk top .removably fitting over, the open top' of said body receptacle, said desk top including a stationary section mounted upon the top edge of at least one of the divider supporting panels and also including a movable section hingeably connected to said stationary section for rotatable movement from a closed position fitting suggested to those familiarwith furniture construction Without departing'from the spirit of the invention:

'The desk provided by this invention is particularly adaptableto mass production .since relatively'few parts are required in its construction. store, ship, and sell the desk whilebroken down into its component parts. The desk can then be assembled by an ordinary'purchaser and 'requires only the use of a screwdriveri Where thepurchaser is to assemble the desk, it is preferable that the supporting panels be .con-

nected to the body receptacle in the manufacture of the desk in order to ensure the smoothness of the outer surface of the body receptacle. The purchaser then connects only the legs and desk top to complete the assembly.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows: 1. In a desk, the combination of: an integral, unitary body receptacle having oppositely disposed sides, a bottom which isclosed except for four openings adapted Also, it is possible to over the open top of said body receptacle to an open position for access to the interior, of said body receptacle.

p 2. A desk as defined in claim lwherein'each of said fourlegs taper conically downwardly from said body receptacle, and said means fastening said divider supporting panels to said body receptacle includes a supporting'ledge formed'by the top portion of each said conically tapered leg having a smaller "diameter than that portion of the leg directly below'said top portion such that said ledge pressesithe bottom of'said body receptacle againstthe divider supporting panel.

Shea June 26, 1956 

